James Harden’s miserable night adds to his sad playoff history as Cavaliers are in big trouble

Playoff James Harden was in full force Thursday night.

Harden is off to an awful start through the first two games of the Cavaliers’ Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Pistons, with his 3-of-13, four-turnover performance Thursday dooming Cleveland in its 107-97 loss that landed it in a 2-0 series hole against Detroit.

The veteran scored just 10 points Thursday and has 11 turnovers to nine field goals in the series.

Udonis Haslem says that James Harden has been holding the ball too carelessly. Getty Images

Longtime ex-NBA big man Udonis Haslem called out Harden for his showing in this series.

“The Magic gave us the blueprint [the Pistons] are a one-trick pony in the half court,” Haslem said in reference to Detroit having trouble scoring. “How can you give these guys 31 points off turnovers?”

“There is five guys who have been in the NBA that have went to the playoffs 17-plus consecutive times. (John) Stockton, (arl) Malone, Jason Kidd, Tony Parker, James Harden. Why the hell are you turning the ball over so much? You have been in the playoffs and know what it’s like to be in the playoffs. Why the hell are you turning the ball over? It’s so self-inflicted wounds. One-handed passes. Things that I would take my son out the game for if I was coaching him for throwing passes like that. Why are you having these kind of passes and plays in the 2nd round of the playoffs? I don’t understand that.”

Another poor postseason performance for Harden has been the norm for him over his career and this latest clunked happened following an ugly argument between Charles Barkley and Draymond Green after Game 1.

The “Inside the NBA” crew began discussing Harden having 35 playoff games (now 36 after Game 2) in which he had more turnovers than field goals, which Barkley said “should never” happen.

Green defended Harden, saying he has the ball all the time and his team relies on him too much to facilitate offense for his team.

James Harden is having a tough series. NBAE via Getty Images

ESPN then revealed that Green has the most of those games in NBA playoff history, with 43 games scoring fewer field goals than turnovers committed, tied with Kendrick Perkins with the most ever.

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons also had some harsh comments for the Cavaliers.

“This Cleveland thing is going so bad that we’re now going into a scenario where LeBron [James] may need to come in here as a savior this offseason.,” Simmons said. “Detroit is making him look old. He’s lost the ball multiple times on moves he used to make in his sleep for the 16 years of his career.”

The Cavaliers traded for Harden at the NBA trade deadline in an attempt to make a Finals run, but his poor playoff performances continue to haunt him and have Cleveland on the brink of elimination.